Re: Climate Control Problem

[zm@mhcnet.att.com]

Peter,

As David alluded to in his note, Audi uses the Electronic Climate Control
unit made by GM. I have practically the same unit in my Cadillac Sedan
DeVille  as in my '87 5000 CSQ. I did have a similar problem in my Cadillac
where the heat would get stuck on full hot whenever the fan was running
at a high speed. I could hear a flap shut and then only hot air would come
out. The problem, as it turned out, was the motor that opens and closes the
flap to mix the hot and cold air for optimum temperature. The tiny
gears that connect the motor to the arm that operates the flap were shot,
allowing the flap to shut completely in the "hot" mode whenever the fan
was at high speed. Replacement of the motor was not complicated; it took
me about an hour or so (at least on the Cadillac it is easily accessible
after the glove box is removed). The Cadillac service manual is very explicit
about service procedures - the Audi manuals by Bentley are very cryptic
in comparison. The part cost $65 at the dealer. I don't
know if your problem is the same, but if it is, then you might find the
part cheaper at a Cadillac dealer than the Audi dealer. Unless of course
you get Audi to fix it under warranty, which they may very well do,
even if its just expired.

Let us know how you make out.

Zafer Mehmood
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Murray Hill, NJ